Hibiscus plant named ‘Denver’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Hibiscus  plant named ‘Denver’, characterized by its compact, upright and uniform plant habit that is appropriate for container production; freely branching habit; glossy medium green-colored leaves; freely and continuous flowering habit; orange and red bi-colored flowers; and good resistance to flower bud abscission.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cultivar Denver.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hibiscus, botanically known as Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Denver’.

The new Hibiscus is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Amstelveen, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact freely-branching and freely-flowering Hibiscus cultivars appropriate for container production.

The new Hibiscus originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Amstelveen, The Netherlands in 1999, of a proprietary Hibiscus rosa-sinensis selection, identified as code number 239.2317, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Hibiscus rosa-sinensis selection, designated as code number 5.17.14816, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Denver was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Amstelveen, The Netherlands, in 2000.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hibiscus by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Amstelveen, The Netherlands since 2000, has shown that the unique features of this new Hibiscus are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Denver has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Denver’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Denver’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and uniform plant habit that is appropriate         for container production.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Glossy medium green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely and continuous flowering habit.     -   5. Orange and red bi-colored flowers.     -   6. Good resistance to flower bud abscission.

Compared to plants of the parents, the proprietary Hibiscus selections, plants of the new Hibiscus are more upright, more freely branching, and more freely flowering.

Plants of the new Hibiscus are similar to plants of the Hibiscus cultivar Hanne, not patented. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Amstelveen, The Netherlands, plants of the new Hibiscus differed from plants of the cultivar Hanne in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hibiscus were shorter than plants of the         cultivar Hanne.     -   2. Plants of the new Hibiscus were more upright and more rounded         than plants of the cultivar Hanne.     -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Hibiscus were longer and narrower         than leaves of plants of the cultivar Hanne.     -   4. Plants of the new Hibiscus had larger flowers than plants of         the cultivar Hanne.     -   5. Plants of the new Hibiscus were more freely flowering than         plants of the cultivar Hanne.     -   6. Flowers of plants of the new Hibiscus were more red in color         than flowers of plants of the cultivar Hanne.     -   7. Flower peduncles of plants of the new Hibiscus were longer         and thicker than flower peduncles of plants of the cultivar         Hanne.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Hibiscus, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hibiscus.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Denver’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Amstelveen, The Netherlands, grown in 15-cm container in a glass-covered greenhouse during the spring and summer under conditions which closely approximate commercial production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 15 to 25° C. and light levels were about 500 kilolux. Plants were about two years old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1986 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cultivar Denver. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed parent.—Proprietary selection of Hibiscus             rosa-sinensis designated as code number 239.2317, not             patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Hibiscus             rosa-sinensis designated as code number 5.17.14816, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 25 days at a temperature of             23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 40 days at a             temperature of 22° C.         -   Root description.—Thick; whitish in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately vigorous; freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact, upright and uniform             plant habit; appropriate for container production. Vigorous             growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, usually about three or             four lateral branches.         -   Plant height.—About 20 to 25 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 35 to 40 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 10 cm. Diameter:             About 8 mm. Internode length: About 2 to 2.5 cm. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146A overlain with close             to 187A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 7 to 8 cm. Width: About 4 to 5 cm. Shape: Cordate.             Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate. Margin: Serrate. Texture, upper             surface: Glabrous; leathery. Texture, lower surface:             Slightly pubescent. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color:             Developing leaves, upper surface: 146A; glossy. Developing             leaves, lower surface: 146A. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Darker than 146A; glossy. Fully expanded leaves,             lower surface: 146A. Venation, upper surface: 146A.             Venation, lower surface: Lighter than 146A. Petiole: Length:             About 3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Darker than 146A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement/appearance.—Rounded flowers arranged             singly at terminal leaf axils. Freely and continuous             flowering with usually about five to six flower buds and/or             open flowers per terminal apex. Flowers face upright and             outwardly. Flowers are open for about one day. Flowers             persistent. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Usually spring and summer or             during periods of warm weather.         -   Flower diameter.—About 10 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 3 to 4 cm.         -   Flower bud (just before showing color).—Resistance to             abscission: Plants of the new Hibiscus have been observed to             resist flower bud drop. Length: About 4 to 5 cm. Diameter:             About 1 to 1.5 cm. Shape: Elliptical. Color: 146A.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Corolla consists of five petals that             are overlapping towards apex. Length: About 6 to 7 cm.             Width: About 5 to 6 cm. Shape: Spatulate or fan-shaped.             Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous, satiny. Color:             When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Towards the             margins, 23B; towards the base, 45D. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: 24B. Throat: Close to 45A.         -   Sepals.—Appearance: Five or six sepals fused into a             companulate-shaped calyx. Length: About 2 cm. Width: About             1 cm. Shape: Narrowly oblong. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused.             Margin: Cleft. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Angle:             Slightly bent. Strength: Strong, rigid. Texture: Smooth.             Color: Darker than 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Numerous,             about 60 per flower. Anther shape: Globular. Anther length:             About 1 mm. Anther color: 12A. Amount of pollen: Abundant.             Pollen color: 15A. Gynoecium: Pistil number: One per flower.             Pistil length: About 6 to 7 cm. Style length: About 4 to             5 cm. Style texture: Smooth, waxy. Style color: 45D. Stigma             appearance: Five, rounded. Stigma color: 17A. Ovary color:             Reddish white.         -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Hibiscus have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hibiscus. 

1. A new and distinct Hibiscus plant named ‘Denver’, as illustrated and described. 